From the Home Place

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  • “I’m related to…”

    August 30, 2025

    If your parents are alive, you have relatives. If you have a living aunt or uncle or cousins, you have relatives. If you have siblings, you have relatives, and when you get married you gain relatives. All of that is to say, “the odds are quite good that you have relatives.”

    Take Miss Deb and myself for example, between the two of us we have a whole lot of relatives. Miss Deb no longer has a living sibling, and very few other relatives, but then on my side…!

    With five siblings, I have all sorts of relatives, who became Deb’s relatives on the day we got married. There have been times when one of my relatives does something less than glamourous and when that great adventure is mentioned in a public setting, I say, “Yep, that’s one of Deb’s relatives!” A statement she tries to push off rather quickly. But the fact is, that special person is now one of her relatives as well as mine. Oh, there may not be any of her blood between them, but because she said, “I do,” over fifty years ago, what’s mine is now hers!

    Ok, let’s go to church tomorrow morning: If you are a “born again” Christian, that is you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, realizing that His death on the cross was the one redeeming fact for your salvation, well then the odds are amazingly high that you are attending church with blood relatives!

    In case you are wondering, it’s not your blood that makes all of those folks your relatives. The simple fact is that you are related to other Christians through blood, the blood of Jesus. Much like gaining relatives through marriage, Christians gain a new relative every time a person accepts salvation through the person of Jesus Christ.

    You see, another simple fact is there are times that I’m that less than stellar relative. In fact, the odds are also quite high that you have been that less than stellar relative at some time or another. However, one of the major things about relatives is that to continue being more than just “social” when we are around each other, there has most likely been a time when we have had to forgive a relative or ask for forgiveness from them.

    The same is true with our relatives within our local church. Forgiveness is the oil that keeps the engine running smoothly. In order for you and your relatives to get along within the church, forgiveness is priority one. Jesus said it something like this, “If you refuse to forgive others, neither will your Father in heaven forgive you.” Yep, that is a strong statement, but I’m quite sure Jesus means it!

    Because you and I have been forgiven, we are required to forgive each other, and all the rest of our relatives. Yep, all of them! Yes, the adage is often true, “Relatives are the hardest!” But that doesn’t make it any less mandatory that we forgive them. So, if there is someone at church who has offended you, forgive them just as God has forgiven you through Jesus. Or perhaps you need to ask them to forgive you, again through Jesus. After all, if you both know Jesus, you are blood relatives.

    Today, go visit, or at least call, one of your family relatives, see how they are doing. And may I also suggest that you do the same tomorrow morning when you go to church. If you attend a real Christ-centered church, you have a passel of relatives there. Wow, I guess that makes every Sunday a family reunion, but that’s a topic for another day.

    Celebrating relatives with you, Neal

  • About the boat

    August 28, 2025

    The year was 2007, Miss Deb and I were living in Custer, South Dakota where we were in the process of planting a church. Though we had been involved in ministry for several years, this would be our first plant. We like most church planters were starting at pretty much zero. The Lord had moved in the hearts of a dear couple who made the move with us from Sioux Falls to Custer, but the rest was up to us. By God’s amazing grace we were able to gather a group of folks rather quickly and before long we were meeting together on a weekly basis for Bible study and worship.

    As means of coping with the heavy pressure of planting, God blessed us with a twelve-foot aluminum boat with a ten-horse motor on it. The trailer was homemade, but worker just fine. Most of the time the trailer would stay behind our pickup, if we weren’t in too much of a hurry.

    Now about the boat, like I said it wasn’t very big and the motor wasn’t going to win any race, but when the two of them worked together, it was plumb relaxing to go to a local lake and at least take a good run having fish for supper.

    Under the rear seat, where the captain of this vessel would sit, was a small toolbox. It contained a new sparkplug, some fuel line, a bottle of oil and a handful of wrenches. There were very few trips to the lake that the toolbox wasn’t opened.

    The motor was a bit temperamental and would often leave us drifting across the lake, while one person fished and the other played mechanic. But even with it’s ill temper, she was a fine little vessel that provided us with some time together, away from people and the pressure of planting a church.

    Well, by the amazing working of the Holy Spirit, within four years the church was up and going well, and we were called to a new ministry in Platte, South Dakota. So, I gave “Lucy” the boat to Bob. Bob was an older gentlemen who had gone on several fishing expeditions with me, and was also a key member of the church plant. Bob loved the Lord, and he also loved to fish, so it just seemed logical to leave Lucy with him.

    Bob took really good care of her, gave her several needed updates and keep her running in tip-top shape. After a few years, Bob’s health went sideways so he passed the boat on to Lynn. Lynn as well made so adjustments to the boat and even bought a new trailer. During my last visit with Lynn he mentioned that he too had come to the end of his fishing career and was looking for a new home for Lucy.

    Here is the point: What started as a cheap way to destress, soon became a blessing to several other folks. Each of Lucy’s owners had friends who were also blessed by an occasional day on the lake. Your faith, just like Lucy, was designed to bring a blessing to others. Here’s the catch (pun intended), neither does much good until you put them in the water.

    No, your faith may not be the biggest or the fanciest, but it is yours. Use it to bless others. As you allow others to be blessed by your faith, their faith will also grow, and before long they will take that which you gave them, make some needed adjustments to it, and then they will pass that on to the next person. It’s called “Life-style evangelism.”

    So put your tiny faith out on the lake of life, who knows, you just might catch a lunker.

    Fishing for souls with you, Neal

  • What’s Next?

    August 27, 2025

    This Sunday will be the completion of a three-month commitment to fill the pulpit at a local church. I must admit, it has been a great blessing and we will really miss those dear folks. They have hired their new full-time pastor and are excited about what God has next for them! Miss Deb and I will be able to return to our “home” church for worship and fellowship, and to travel to better support our church planters who work so faithfully to bring the great message of hope to their communities. But what will be our next chapter of service to the Kingdom, we do not yet know.

    I figure that I get to retire the day my Savior calls me into His eternal presence, until then, there is work to be done. Today, I start praying and waiting. Yet, what is next in our service to the King is secondary. What is most important is our relationship with Him. You see, God is way more concerned about who we are, than He is concerned with what we do.

    Yes, both elements have value in His kingdom, yet without the relationship with Him, service to Him carries little weight. So for today, like every day, we will work on our relationship with our Heavenly Father. May He find us faithful regardless of the opportunity of service He shall provide.

    Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it very clear that we are not saved by works. It is faith and faith alone that allows us to call God, “Our Father.” Yet 2:10 states that we are saved for good works. What makes those works “good” is often a topic of discussion. I am of the opinion that any service you or I might provide to God’s Kingdom is good when He receives the glory for the completed work.

    The standard of “good works” is to be set by God, not by us. If we were to set the standard of determination, we would set the bar within reach of human possibilities. When God sets the standard, it is most often impossible for we humans to reach to that height without His assistance. In other words, “good works” are those things that the Holy Spirit works through human vessels to accomplish.

    That is my heart’s desire, to join the Holy Spirit in His good works. I pray that is also your desire. To accomplish such great things, we must begin by making sure that our spirit is in tune with Him. That requires a daily yielding of self to the Savior, and a constant willingness to be used by Him in whatever way He chooses. You know, “daily take up your cross and follow Me.”

    Today, we would appreciate your prayers for the next chapter of our lives in service to the King. We too, shall be praying for you to be given clear direction as to what God is wanting to do within you so that He can work through you. After all, I would much rather ask “What’s Next?” rather than say that “I’m retiring.”

    Awaiting our next assignment with you, Neal

  • Change is coming!

    August 25, 2025

    For the past forty years, my early Sunday morning routine has been consistently the same, yesterday was no exception. I got up at 3:30 a.m. and sat before the Lord. All last week I had worked on the message I was to preach, so I just needed to read the passage again, pray on it and ask the Holy Spirit for His direction.

    First lesson – don’t ever ask the Holy Spirit to do something that you are not willing to follow through on with Him. As I prayed, I knew the Holy Spirit was challenging me to change the entire message. Usually on Sunday morning He directs me to change some element of the message: an illustration or a point of emphasis, but the entire message? Yes, that has happened a few times over the years, and today was going to add to that list.

    So I quickly changed my entire thought pattern about what I was to preach on. New passage, new topic, new illustrations, new direction. Why do all of that on such a short notice, because I had asked the Holy Spirit for His direction, that’s why.

    Once again, I was reminded that if you ask of God, get ready for His answer. It seems that too often we can get into the habit of asking God to do whatever He wants in our lives, but all of the time I have already decided what His answer will be – that which I want to do.

    We have many biblical examples of people “inquiring of the Lord.” I immediately think of Joshua asking the Lord if he should fight this enemy or that enemy, or should he just keep his army in the camp. For Joshua had learned a painful lesson early in his service to the King, always ask God first! (Read Joshua 7)

    The same should be true of us. Too often we make our plans for the day and head out the door at a high run to get our list completed, but did we first inquire of the Lord? You see, if we consider ourselves to be servants of the King, doesn’t it make sense that we should ask what He wants us to do each day?

    We usually ask Him for his blessing upon our day’s activities. We ask Him to protect us during our busy schedule. We ask Him to clear the path so we can accomplish our plans. But how often do we start our day with the simple question, “Lord, what do you want us to do today?”

    Well, yesterday I asked that question. The Holy Spirit answered. I obeyed. And yesterday, before it was time for me to preach the “new” message, I knew why the Holy Spirit had changed everything. A prayer request was tearfully shared about that exac.t topic!

    Today, ask the King what He wants to accomplish within or through you. Ask for His guidance and strength as you faithfully obey His direction. But don’t ask unless you want His answer. Yes, you can go ahead and do what you have planned, in the way you have it planned, but don’t be shocked when things don’t go according to your plan.

    However, if you ask for His direction, change could be a coming!

    Following His lead with you, Neal

  • Remember When?

    August 23, 2025

    Yep, I’m so old that I can remember life without a computer, or a microwave, or a telephone. Shoot, I’m so old I can remember life without a television. Yet, life was so much simpler then. If we needed something from town, we waited until Saturday; the day for taking cream and eggs to town to sell, do the banking, go see family members and friends, and get any groceries that we couldn’t raise for ourselves.

    Saturday night was made for taking the whole family to a country dance. While there, we would often share sandwiches and dessert with everyone else there, while visiting about events of our lives. Us kids would dance right alongside of our parents, that is until we would all tucker out and then we would pile up on homemade quilts in a corner of the dance hall. I reckon we looked like a batch of new-born calves laying on fresh straw. Just before daylight, our parents would gather us up, load all of us in an old pickup and make the trip home. We often returned home just in time to do morning chores.

    For Sunday lunch our little ranch house would fill with company. Hugs, laughter and plenty of good food. One of my favorite parts of Sunday after lunch (that is after I helped with washing dishes) was to sit and listen to the older adults tell stories. Stories about when they were younger. Stories about great and difficult times alike. Stories about each individual life. To this day I can still recall some of those amazing moments of walking down life’s road with those dear ‘ol folks.

    It seems to me that it really was God’s plan all along that we share stories of life with those around us. You see, with TV, computers, cell phones and a “better” way of life, we have stopped telling the stories. We have substituted hearing and telling stories, for living our lives quietly hidden away within our homes, staring at pretend people on a screen while we wait for our life to end.

    As Joshua instructed the men of Israel to tell the stories of what God had done for them, we too need to be telling the stories of God’s loving works within our lives. Our children need to hear biblical stories not just from the Bible, but also from their family members who are living the Bible.

    The best stories begin with the phrase, “I remember when…” God gives us a life to walk with Him, and to tell others about our journey.

    Telling life stories with you, Neal

    “I love to tell the story of unseen things above, Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.” (Hymn by Catherine Hankey & William Fischer)

    “I will not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord.” (Ps.118:17)

  • Look what I have done!

    August 22, 2025

    I invite you to open your Bible to the fourth chapter of the book of Joshua. I am of the opinion that here, we too often miss one of the keys to walking with God.

    Joshua is the new leader faced with the task of bringing the people of Israel into the Promised Land. They cross the Jordan River, “on dry land” and enter into the land of Cannan. Joshua, following God’s instructions, selects 12 men to gather twelve big rocks from the bottom of the Jordan River for a very specific purpose.

    Begin your reading in Joshua 4:1. As you read through this chapter, be sure to stop at verse 20 for a long hard look at what God is saying. Now you are ready to read verse 21, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come saying, ‘What are these stones?’

    We are all experiencing the break-down of the American family. Yes, men and women are still falling in love, they are still getting married, and they are still having children. The problem is that too often the fathers have stopped teaching their children about who God is, and about what God has done in dad’s life. My personal opinion about why this is so: Most young men are so focused upon what they are doing to have any time to visit with their children about what God is doing, because most of our young men do not know God in the first place. Another discussion for another day.

    Look at verse 22, “then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’” At first reading, it seems nothing too major – the people crossed the “Jordan on dry ground.” Next? It is so easy to notice what the people did, that we often fail to notice what God did!

    Because we have become an extremely “self-sufficient” society, we tend to take credit for all of the amazing things God has done within our day-to-day lives. We seldom notice His working within the circumstances of our lives, and as such, have no stories to share with our children about God’s amazing grace!

    You see my friends, we can’t tell our children about what God has done for us today in our lives, if we don’t even notice what God has done. We can report what our favorite sports team has done, we can report what happened at work – or on the way to or from work. But most men fail to report to their children what God did today!

    Jesus stated, “Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt. 6:34) Have you ever stopped to wonder why Jesus said that? Could it be that the troubles of each day present us with the opportunity to see what God is doing in our lives? However, we too often turn self into the hero of the story. If our men share anything with their children, it tends to be about what “I” did; seldom about what God did.

    When a camara is out of focus, even the most amazing subject is out of focus when we look at the picture. I am suggesting that we American men have allowed the ways of this world to cause our life cameras to become out of focus. It is time that we ask God to help each of us to clearly focus the lens of our mind upon Him so that we can see clearly, thus giving God the glory for great things He has done.

    Regaining proper focus with you, Neal

  • One more time!

    August 21, 2025

    For some reason, yearling cattle seem to be their own critter – kind of like teen age people. Each group is gaining on adulthood, yet a considerable distance from reaching it. They can be mature and yet very immature, independent and needy, steady and wild, all in the same day! Working with both teens and yearlings requires patience and knowing when to hurry them along.

    I have watched a herd of yearlings walk along calmly, headed for the gate, when all of a sudden one will beller, jump sideways and take off running. Yep, and the rest of the herd will follow the runaway, just like teenagers.

    I can’t tell you how many times I have gathered a herd of yearlings and have walked them quietly to the gate, only to have one or two of them spook at the site of the open gate. It’s like teenagers who want to move on in life, only to panic at the next step of life.

    All of this is to say that it’s not always easy to be a young person. I agree, it never has been easy to be a young person getting ready to leave high school and step through the gate that has always provided security. The seniors of this school year are excited and fearful at the same time! Their familiar pasture has helped them to be brave and decided. While their new pasture looks green and lush, it also looks like a vast desert full of pits and wild animals.

    So, today, please stop and pray for the students within your local school, especially those who are seniors in high school. The opportunities before them are more abundant than ever before. Also, the challenges before them are greater than you and I have likely ever faced. Their world holds blessings and dangers in the same hand, each waiting for our young students.

    May I suggest that we “mature” adults commit to praying for the seniors of your local high school each day. If you know one or two of them personally, perhaps an encouraging card on occasion? Or an invitation to stop by your home for some cookies and a visit. Though they will consider us as “really old,” they still need our love, respect and direction.

    After all, I guess a senior in high school and a senior citizen are really pretty much alike, aren’t we?

    Encouraging the next generation with you, Neal

    Proverbs 9:9 “Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.”

  • Not far but Near!

    August 20, 2025

    Yesterday Miss Deb and I, and Coffee of course, found ourselves on the road again. A little over 300 miles and we were back home again. You see, from Lusk, Wyoming everywhere is a long way away. Casper – 105; Cheyenne – 150; Scottsbluff, NE. – 90; Rapid City, SD. 150. To find a town big enough to have some of the “big box” stores is an all-day trip.

    I’m willing to wager that at some time in your life, perhaps today, you have felt that God is a long way away as well. After all, we are instructed about prayer, “Our Father who art in Heaven.” Heaven, man that is a long way away! Even our high-powered telescopes can’t find heaven. Yes, they can find the heavenly atmosphere that our solar system lives in, but they still can’t find the heaven where God lives.

    In the words of Alester Beggs, “When you feel like God is far away, guess who moved?” I first heard this statement in 1983 and have to remind myself of it at times. You see my friends, there are those moments for each of us when we feel the space between ourselves and God. Jesus felt that space on the cross of Calvary when God placed the sin of mankind upon His shoulders. Because God cannot look upon sin, God turned His face away from Jesus, to which Jesus replied, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?”

    For sure, sin does cause God to look away from us, but the moment we confess our sin, He forgives us though the person of Jesus Christ. When God feels far away, “guess who moved.” In James 4:8 we are encouraged with these words, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

    You see, God is as near as a simple prayer when my life is in accordance with His holiness. Sin separates, but confession reunites. So instead of asking God where He has gone to, we just need to look inside of self. For when self is right with the Savior, God is near, even in “times of trouble.”

    Stepping toward God with you, Neal

  • Don’t let difficult stop you.

    August 18, 2025

    Yesterday was quite an adventure around this outfit. Our daughter Kami and her husband Jeremey are here for a couple-of-days visit. One of the things they wanted to do while visiting was to go on a nice hike, preferably in the hills. So, we traveled over to Glendo Lake and lit out on one of the trails there.

    I dropped Miss Deb and the kids off at the trail head, and then I went on to the other end of the trail with the pickup. I parked the pickup and slid down a steep embankment to get onto the end of the trail to eventually meet the rest of my team.

    Though none of us had ever been on this particular trail before, I was somewhat familiar with the area. They were headed in a northerly direction, while I was meandering off to the south. Both groups walked along a creek, surrounded by mountains. We eventually met each other along the way.

    Because of where I had parked the pickup, we decided to finish the trail and then climb out of the canyon to find our trusted steed in the parking lot. I won’t lead you on, the climb out was a tough one! It was pretty much straight up for around 1,000 feet. But climb we did, along with slipping and sliding on rocks and slick grass. We had to have a couple of rest breaks, but in spite of many comments of “I can’t do this,” we finally made it to the top! It took a lot of encouragement to get us all to the finish line, but we did it. With the nasty climb behind us, we enjoyed several cheers and celebrated the fact that “We Did It!”

    Here is today’s lesson, none of us know how this hike called life will end for us. Though we often face difficulties along the trail, it may very well be that the last part of the hike is the most difficult?

    My point is this, each one of us needs to make sure we have others on the trail with us, for they will be our support team to help us make the last climb up out of this canyon called life. Our friends and family are there with us to take us by the hand and help pull us to the top!

    By the way, there are two other folks of great value in this final climb – yourself and Jesus. If you are truly a Christ-follower, Jesus has promised to stay with you to the very end of your earthly journey, and then He will welcome you into eternity. Your attitude about the whole climb is extremely important as well. Before we started our ascent out of that box canyon, there were several comments about “I can’t do this.” My reply to such comments is this, “The moment I think I can’t, I won’t.” It’s too easy to quit before we really start. Each one of us is capable of far more than we think we can do, especially with friends beside us!

    No matter how difficult your last part of the journey might get, take ahold of the hands around you, let them help you to the finish line. And above all, trust Jesus to fulfill His promise when He said, “I will not leave you nor forsake you.” After all, Jesus has also told us, “Fear not.” Faith and friends will help each of us on our final ascent!

    Looking forward to last part of the journey with you, Neal

  • Somebody has to pay!

    August 17, 2025

    Yesterday, Miss Deb and I were in Rapid City, South Dakota to meet family members. There were six of us gathered around a large table in a local cafe. Before we started placing our orders, I ask our server to make sure that I received the bill for the morning’s meal. Why? Because somebody has to pay.

    The writer of the book of Hebrews states, “Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Very much like the restaurant expects the bill to be paid, so does God. You see, when you and I sin, we establish a debt with our Heavenly Father and the only acceptable payment is the “shedding of blood.”

    A sacrificial system that was established way back near the beginning of time requires a blood sacrifice before sin can be forgiven. That is why Jesus Christ had to shed His blood at Calvary. But as such, His blood was the perfect sacrifice to be the payment for all sin for all time. Jesus, “the perfect Lamb of God,” is the only one capable of such a sacrifice.

    Yesterday, during our breakfast meal we didn’t require each person to pay a portion of the bill for their part of their debt, nor did we require anyone to work as payment for their debt, Miss Deb just quietly paid the bill and we all celebrated being together!

    You and I are sinners, we have a debt, Jesus paid that debt by shedding His blood. None of us can pay our part, nor can any of us work off our debt. Yesterday, when Miss Deb went to the counter to pay our debt for breakfast, she had to pay with an acceptable currency. The blood of Jesus is the only acceptable currency for payment of sin. We read in Acts 4:12, referring to Jesus Christ, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

    We sinners have a debt. No one can pay that debt other than Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Praise God, Jesus has paid the bill, all you have to do is believe and enjoy the feast!

    Celebrating that the debt has been paid with you, Neal